Removing oil from oil-bearing materials



Aug. 9, 1927.

w. Hosmms `BEV'IlG OIL EHOM OIL BEARING MATERIALS Filed March l, 1922Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ImsKINs,l or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RMOVING OIL FROM OIL-BEARING MATERIALS.

Application led March 1, 1922. Serial No. 540,346.

The present invention relates to the removal of oils or fatty materialsfronrmaterial containing them and will be fully understood from thefollowing description, illustrated bythe accompanying drawing, in whichapparatus suitable for carrying the invention into effect isdiagrammatically shown. v

The oil-'bearing material, for example lo copra, is comminuted and isthen packed into 'a vertical chamber 5 between porous septums 6 and 7.These sept-ums' may suit- 'ably be formed of perforated metal plates 8against which a fibrous material, such as asbestos, is preferably evenlypacked although such fibrous material may be dispensed with. In packingthe comminuted oil-bearing material into the chamber between septums itmay be introduced a small amount at a time and is uniformly distrib-Auted and' packed down by rams or the like.,

rIyhe packing of the comminuted material apparently4 causes an exudationo f oil to the surfaces of the particles and the formation 35 of acontinuous phase of oily material -between the particles.

After the comminuted oily material has been introduced into the chamberin the manner described, water or other liquid is introduced into thechamber through one of the septums, for example, through pipe 10 belowthe lower septum. The wateris supplied, for exam le, from a constantlevel supply tank 11, with sulicient force or head to cause itI to passthrough the materialand displace the oil, the rate of travel of which is-conditioned upon its Viscosity. When the melting point of the `oilisabove normal atmospheric temperature the chamber 5 is heated by means ofthe jacket 12 and heated water may be used. The use of heat isadvantageous in al1 cases in reducing the viscosity .of the oil.

'Asthe water passes through the body of 45 packed oil-bearing materialthe oil is displaced therefrom and ispushed ahead by the water. The oilis gradually forced out of the-material and overflows from the openingoroutlet 13, passing through 'the upper septum. The oil is a .clearbrlght product, the

mode of operation automatically filtering and clarifying the material.

With some oil-bearing materials yit -is advantageous to add to themateriall neXt the 55 lower septum a small amount fof oil, pref- Ierably of the same kind as that contained in the material undertreatment, to aid-1n forming a continuous phase of oil adjacent theseptum.- It is frequently advantageous to admix with the oil-bearingmaterial some easily dissipated solvent for the oil, prior to thdisplacement thereof- The disp acing liquid may be water or other liquidsuch as dilutefalcohol, aqueous solution of acid or alkaline materialsor salts, etc., the displacing liquid remaining in the oil-bearingmaterial in lieu of the displaced oil. In general the use of fluidwhichA does not diffuse into the oil is preferred, although l suchliquid may also be. employed in .t

present .displacing process without excessive .contamination of theoildisplaced. f

I claim: y 1. The process of removing oil from comminuted oil-bearingmaterial which consists in packing said material in a coniinedybodybetween two porous septums, providing bel tween the particles adjacentone septumy a continuous phase of the oil therefrom, and passing aliquid other than the' oil of said material through the last-namedseptum and the oil-bearing material, thereby displacing the oil andforcing it through the oil-bearing material and the opposite septumwith' out substantial admix'ture with they liquid.

2. The process of removing oil from com-Y minuted oil-bearing material'which consists in packing said material inra confined body between twoporous septums, providing between the particles .adjacent one septum acontinuous phase of the oil therefrom, and passing an aqueous liquidthrough thelastnamed septum and the oil-bearing material,v therebydisplacing the oil and forcing it through the oil-bearing material andthe, opposite septum without vsubstantial admix-` turel with the liquid.g,

3. The process of removing oil from comminuted oil-bearing material byla displacing liquid which consists in packing said material 1n aconfined body7 upon a porous septunli to prevent displacement of saidmateria and passing a.- displacing liquid immiscible with the oilthrough the septum 4and the oil-- roviding a continuous phase of oil inthe oll-bearing material adjacent the septum f

